Whirlwind Tool Co. News

Black Box Safety Data-Logging for Machine Tools

David Butler

Whirlwind Tool Company announced it has a patent on machine tool data logging for monitoring both safety features and machine tool utilization history. According to Whirlwind Tool owner and inventor, David Butler, 'this latest technology addresses the benefits of conveniently monitoring the operation of dangerous machine tools over an extended period of time to help insure that the recommended safety features and safe practices are routinely being followed.'

Machine owners and management can now review 'black box' operational data including the use of various guards provided to protect an operator from hazards posed by cutting blades, stamping forces, crushing operations and all similar machine tool features or components, that may lead to serious operator injury. Also, for large organizations this will assist in optimizing machine utilization by providing a full chronology of past machine use over a period of time.'

Whirlwind Tool Announces Black Box Patent

Whirlwind Tool 'Black Box'

Another Breakthrough in Safety

Whirlwind Tool Company founder and inventor David Butler has announced another forthcoming patent for a flesh-sensing safety device that can help prevent life-altering operator injuries from table saws and other machine tools.

Butler calls this latest device the Black Box, because it can be attached to any of millions of existing machines including most woodworking table saws and band saws. The Black Box device controls the electrical power supplied to the machine and can sense the operators flesh coming too close or in contact with a blade enclosure. Upon sensing the danger of the operator's proximity to the spinning blade, the Black Box stops the machine in a fraction of a second without causing any damage to the machine which may be immediately restarted by the operator. The emergency stop serves as a warning and learning aid to operators of these dangerous machines.

Whirlwind Tool business manager, Rob Calhoun said, 'This amazing device is a trailblazer in the long stagnant woodworking and related machinery industries. We cannot keep up with answering our very encouraging website feedback, nor can we completely define the market. Every week we seem to have a new machine application suggested or proposed to us.'

Quick-Switch: Black Box from Saw to Lathe

We 'borrowed' a Black Box plug and play safety device from a table saw to demonstrate how the unit might be used to provide safety and emergency braking to a lathe. After shooting this demonstration video, the Black Box went back to its original table saw.WATCH VIDEO

Flesh-sensing Safety Technology for Metal Cutting and Fabrication

Effective July 2012, Whirlwind flesh-sensing technology is being used in metal cutting and fabrication. With a simple modification to our woodworking guards we are able to cut metal on a band saw and two types of our table saws. This opens entirely new markets for our patent assignee. VIEW PHOTOS

This new technology creates amazing improvements in machine tool safety and we are offering to assign our cornerstone patents to industry at a low cost in order see products brought to market quickly and build a new market segment for such products.

For product development, the especially good news is that these technological safety improvements may not only be incorporated into new machines, they may also be offered for most existing machines that date back even half a century or more.